Operation: CARAMEL Revised
by Urami-Bushi
Summary: A revised version Operation: C.A.R.A.M.E.L. Both Heinrich and Numbuh 5 have lost something very important to the curse in Guatemala and it goes beyond personality and body. Can Numbuh 5 save her friends, Heinrich, and herself? Elements of 5Heinrich.


Disclaimer: I do not own the Kids Next Door nor am I getting paid for this. So please don't sue me.

I wrote this story because I felt the "twist" to the actual episode was well... cheap. So I decided to change it to suit my own taste. Hope you like it. This story will change point of views and occasionally third person, but I will make it clear what it is, so don't worry. Also this is my first story so I would appreciate some constructive criticism, but please no flames. If you don't like the story, then tell me so and why so I can improve, but no need to be an anonymous jerk. That would be "sugar free."

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Abigail Lincoln—better known as Numbuh Five—continued to walk cautiously down the dust covered hall of the pyramid. The ceiling was high and the floor composed of stone so any noise that she made would be sure to echo, leaving her vulnerable to attacks. Not to mention there were a couple traps along the way. She never wanted to return to Guatemala after her last visit, but the risks of staying away were far worse. It was the fifth day of the fifth month of the fifth year since she had last been here with her candy hunting comrade, Heinrich. When she last left, she had traded her best friend for an intense rival. Numbuh Five also clearly remembered how well Heinrich could hold a grudge and she knew in her heart that he could not pass this opportunity for revenge. He was expecting her to show, but if she didn't, then he would make sure others would pay in her place. Rock and a hard place, really.

Numbuh Five stepped over a fake stone that would trigger a caramel flood—that one a had been a major set back the first time she was here—and silently moved behind an intricately carved pillar. Only three feet away was the ceremonial room. Above it was the golden eye that would shoot it's energy straight below and complete the ritual. Other than that, the room was empty so one could draw the summoning circle and provide the necessary amount of sugar for only a couple of sacrifices. The room was already lit and she could hear the shuffle of only one pair of feet. Heinrich was already there, but he was alone. He would not let anyone else witness this event. Numbuh Five sighed, "He never did learn to share."

As if the Fates weren't cruel enough, there was only one door into the lit room in the entire structure. The possibility of sneaking in unnoticed was slim. Still, Numbuh Five held hope that if she remained quiet then she would still have the chance to surprise Heinrich and stop whatever it was he was planning. Numbuh Five stood up straight, readjusted her hat, and took one step forward. "It's now or never Abby, and Heiny ain't that patient." With that, she glided to the door and slipped into the room. Unfortunately, she was so busy trying to be stealthy that she never noticed the shuffling in the room had stopped. If she had, she might not have breathed in the knock out gas steaming out of a tiny, red hard candy.

_Numbuh Five_

When I regained consciousness, I kept my eyes shut. Not only to fool anyone around me into thinking I was still asleep, but also because I had the absolute worst headache. Not even that sugar binge against the licorice pirates had given me this much of a migraine.

"Guten abend, mein Abigail."

Of course, there are some people that you just can't fool. I opened one eye, smiled, and nodded. An important part of being a Kids Next Door operative is learning to hide and ignore pain. I'm just gonna focus on the first bit. "Hello there, Heiny. How's it going? Get any good sugar lately?" He glared and I smirked. If he stopped acting so annoyed at his nickname, then I'd stop. Then again, it would have made the last seven years boring.

"Given your situvation, liebchen, you may vant to start showing some respect," he scowled. I lifted my head to get a better view and took stock of my position. I was laying on the stone floor, my arms and legs shackled with some kind of peppermint cuffs. Each cuff was too thick for me to break with only my strength. Above was the golden eye, staring straight at me. The pupil was a hole that showed the dark night and a few stars. The moonlight was pouring on my stomach.

Not good.

Then I noticed that Heinrich was careful to stand at the edge of a circle surrounding me. I didn't need to see the whole design to know that it followed the complex symbol drawn on a diagram in a book he held at his side. By Heiny's smile, he knew that I also realized I was lying in the middle of a sugar circle of sacrifice.

Definitely not good...

"So, you haff finally noticed." He flipped through a couple pages of the old text. "I suppose ve should review vhat zis all means in case you forgot. Just like you forgot me five years ago!" Heiny's voice got louder with each word and ended with an echo that seemed to shake the walls. I coughed as some dust fell onto my face. That boy was always dramatic.

"Look, Heiny. cough I didn't forget you--"

"Nein! Enough of your excuses, fräulein! You left me here five years ago, cursed und alone! Und I shall do ze same to you as vell as your precious organization that you left me for!"

"W-what do you mean?" I stuttered. Heinrich gave me a small smile.

"I mean zat as you und I speak, my soldiers are flying overhead, dumping sugar connecting nine of your tree houses across ze continent. It vill allow for a chain reaction zat vill absorb ze candy in each base and capture every single operative on ze inside." I couldn't help growling at him. "Ah, vhat's ze matter, mein Abigail. No comebacks? No witty retorts?" he laughed.

"No, Heiny. Just disappointed. You usually had the sense to keep our disputes between us, but you gotta be eating health food because what you're doing is nothing less than pure, sugar-free cowardice," I spat. I expected him to snap back, but he only laughed.

"Ja, I forgot to mention ze most important part of zis plan." He carefully stepped over the sugar until he was beside me. He knelt down and stroked my cheek. "In ze next two minutes, ze moon vill be perfectly aligned vith zis pyramid once more. Do you recognize zis room, Kinderlein?" Heinrich paused. He yanked my chin and pulled me close. Even though he whispered, he put all his venom into each word. "You left me in ze middle of another sugar circle und you ran after ze ceremony. You said your friends had called you for ein mission. Zat mission und zose people were more important to you zhan me. You abandoned me here to ze curse. I shall do ze same to you."

My breathing sped up and my eyes widened. "But Heinrich---!"

"Don't worry, mein Abigail. I know you like to share your candies so I shall vait for them to appear so I can partake in a taste." We both paused as a loud whirling noise shattered the silence around us. The German boy stood up and moved outside the circle. "Here it comes. Ze beginning of ein chain reaction. I do vonder...vhat is it that you cherish most about yourself, mein Abigail?"

"Hei-ahhhhhhhh!" I screamed as the golden light shot toward my heart. The power of the spell burst my cuffs and lifted me off the ground. The sugar around me became enveloped in the same glow and burned to black carbon. It felt as though someone was reaching into my body and pulling out my heart and lungs. When my scream died, I lacked the strength to draw in more breath. I guess my headache wasn't so bad in comparison. Though it felt like an eternity, the transformation could not have lasted more than thirty seconds. After my body hit the rock, I tried to reach for the five caramel pieces that fell around me. However, Heinrich was right there and waiting. He scooped up each candy before I could lift my hand.

"Vell, vell. Zese look quite tasty, mein Abigail. Let us see if zat is ze case." I closed my eyes, not wanting to watch him savor the taste. I could hear him give a small moan as the caramel melted in his mouth. Taking this almost silent moment as an opportunity, I tried to concentrate on what the curse stole from me. I don't feel any change in my appearance, but I was never proud of my looks anyway. Despite my exhaustion, I could feel my strength and reflexes slowly returning. So my fighting skills are most likely still intact. Obviously my mind is as acute as ever. What else do I hold dear about myself? I can't think of anything. So what in the name of the fourth flavor is Heiny eating?

"Ja, zat vas delicious. Ein smooth texture vith a rich yet subtle flavor. Ein powerful treat zat just warms ze heart. Now I vonder about your friends..." I thought of all my friends at Sector V and how to warn them to stay away from this place. And that's when it hit me.

I tried to imagine Numbuh Three's smile and nothing stirred in me. I thought of Numbuh Four's obvious crush and there was no grin on my face. I remembered Numbuh One's pride when I nominated him for the Kids Next Door and there was no joy for me. I even mentally repeated some of Numbuh Two's horrible puns and none of them brought about that combination of embarrassment and amusement. That's when I finally faced Heiny.

Whenever I looked at him, or even thought of him, there was always a mix of emotions. Frustration for his greed that often got in the way of his natural talent and sharp mind. Amusement at his over dramatic antics. The anticipation of the inevitable competition that would come between two equals. Sadness for our lost friendship. Guilt for the secrets I kept from him for these long years. I still felt these emotions to a certain degree, but they were greatly diminished like the last embers of a dying fire. All because I was missing the most important element. That's when I truly knew.

I lost my ability to love.


End file.
